Let's not forget the late Bryan Kerchal fellas, he made the Classic Twice in
a row through the Federation & on his second try WON the dam thing!

Warren

"SimRacer" wrote in message
r.com...
"Fritz Nordengren" wrote in message
news:kBXPc.242172$XM6.100176@attbi_s53...
A guy from Center Point, Iowa finished 23rd in the classic:
Thad Takes.

He probably didn't make many of the headlines or stories, but this is
the April winner of the Federaton Championship in Oklahoma.

Actually, they seemed to go out of their way (Fish and Trip) on stage to
recognize that Thad won the Federation event to get to the Classic, and
Fish
even corrected himself on Thad's surname pronunciation several times.
Takes:
take-us

So it may not have made much print or TV coverage, but they gave him his
props on-stage at the weigh-in at the very least. I for one appreciate the
talent it must take to make the Classic through the Federation. Isn't that
how Iaconelli made his first Classic? Maybe Thad can step up and turn big
time pro now if he chooses to, he seemed like a fairly humble and easy
going
guy on the stage.

He started strong with a limit day one, and then finished weaker, endind
up with 8 fish total 18-9 for weight.

To me, it's amazing to think that a fisherman from a state that is
clearly not "big bass country" can make it all the way to the top 25 in
the Classic. Very few "pro sports" can an amateur go so far.

True that. *Occasionally* the invited amatuers (some are invited, others
win
events to make it in) will make the cuts at the US Open or Masters in
golf,
disounting Bobby Jones of course. He won everything and never turned pro
IIRC.